The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) confirmed that no documents related to ongoing or past flood control projects were stored in the Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS) building in Quezon City, which was hit by a fire on Wednesday afternoon.
The BRS serves as the DPWH’s research arm, handling studies, pilot testing, and the formulation of standards and policies for government infrastructure projects.
In a statement, the DPWH said that “initial findings indicate that the fire originated from a computer unit inside the Materials Testing Division that reportedly exploded.”
The agency also assured that no employees were injured during the blaze.
“An investigation team to assess the fire incident has been deployed and is currently conducting a thorough assessment to determine the full extent of the damage and to prevent similar incidents in the future,” the statement read.
The DPWH added that it will provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection – National Capital Region (BFP-NCR), the fire broke out at the DPWH-BRS office located along NIA Road, Barangay Pinyahan, and was first reported at 12:39 p.m. The alarm was raised to the third level, before the fire was declared under control at 1:34 p.m. and fully extinguished at 1:49 p.m.